This story follows the movie, not the book (therefore, Wade and Ella do not exist!). The characters are all from the book and movie – none created by me.
Scarlett wore black that morning, and for the first time in her life, she felt like wearing it. The night had been incredibly lonely, alone in the house. Sure, Rhett had been gone many nights in the past, but this time was the first time that she allowed herself to feel the pain and loneliness. Of course, Melanie was gone too. Melanie, her only friend in the world, was dead. Scarlett looked at herself in the mirror. She was pale, both from grief and from the fact that she was not completely well yet. She sighed. To get Rhett back, she'd have to be healthy. She rubbed her cheeks until some reddish color appeared, and then she forced herself to smile. "There, that's better!" she thought, but just then the church bells were tolling, and Scarlett felt her heart grow heavy again and the smile disappeared.
She had decided not to go to the funeral. She couldn't bear it – seeing Melanie put underground while everyone's attention would not be on Melanie, but on herself. Ashley would of course be there, and those dreadful rumors were still going strong. She had promised Melanie she would take care of Ashley and Beau, and she would – after the funeral, when hard stares would not be as present.
Rhett was at the funeral. He stood in the back of the crowd, not wanting to draw attention. He was surprised not to see Scarlett there. Scarlett had never been a woman to worry about what other people thought. She threw herself at Ashley when Melanie was alive, why wouldn't she now when Melanie was dead? He glanced at Mammy, and was surprised to see that her eyes were upon him. After the funeral, Mammy came up to him, "Ah, Mist' Rhett, whare's Scarlett? I's been buzy wis Mis' Melanie…I's hasn't checked on my Scarlett. She's all right, now, ain't she?" Rhett didn't know what to say, but he smiled at the old woman, "Sure, Mammy. Scarlett was just so grief stricken, she couldn't bear to see this…" Mammy nodded, "I's go see her later today, Mist' Rhett. Best you'd be heading home to comfort her now." Mammy then got into Suellen's carriage and headed back for Tara.
Rhett waited until everyone had left the gravesite. He wanted to pay his own respects to Melanie, in private. But as he knelt down, the corner of his eye saw a woman, in black, walking up the hill. It was Scarlett. For a minute, he thought it would be best to surprise her, but instead, he walked to another grave, and kneeling, bowed his head. He was curious to see what Scarlett was up to.
Scarlett did not notice the man only a few feet away. She thought she was alone. She stood, staring at Melanie's grave for a minute, and then fell, and broke down into tears. She was sobbing, and she could not stop. She was crying for Melanie, crying for Rhett, crying for all that she had done wrong – Charles, Frank, Ashley, Melanie – she had hurt so many people, and now she felt all their hurt on her heart.
Rhett stood in amazement. He had seen Scarlett cry, but never with such grief and sorrow – he never thought she cared for Melanie, and yet here she was, alone, sobbing over the fresh soil. He suddenly felt horrible for all the things he said the night before, and he was just about to go over to Scarlett, when she stopped crying.
She wiped her eyes, and stood up, and pushed her shoulders back. She was done crying now…it was time to move on, time to continue with her life. She did not have Melanie, she did not have Rhett, but she had Tara. Yes, Tara. She walked down the hill, and headed for home.
Rhett decided to stay a while in Atlanta. His original plan had been to go back to Charleston, but staying in Atlanta for a few extra days would not hurt. Belle Wattling welcomed him in.
Mammy was thrilled to have Scarlett back at Tara; Suellen was not. But even Suellen had to admit that with Scarlett running things, the estate looked better than ever. Scarlett was always working, day and night. Mammy worried about her health – but truthfully, Scarlett looked wonderful. Her eyes were glistening, and there was color in her face. Sometimes, though, her eyes would turn very dark, and her face would harden. Everyone at Tara knew that Rhett had left Scarlett, although Scarlett had never said anything. No one ever mentioned him, however. Scarlett tried to think about other things, but thoughts of Rhett were always somewhere in her mind. She was scheming a million different ways to get him back, but each night, she would have a dream with him slamming the door at her face.
It had only been a week since the funeral, and Scarlett had still not visited Ashley. She was so busy at Tara, and with thoughts of Rhett, that Ashley was not her top priority. The day after the funeral, Scarlett thought "India is probably fussing over him and Beau," she thought, "I'll go see him tomorrow." But tomorrows kept turning into tomorrows.
Rhett had debated whether or not to go see Scarlett all week. Belle finally pushed him out, saying "You've been talking all week about her, now go see her and maybe you'll have peace of mind!" Rhett knew she'd be at Tara, and he rode there faster than he would ever have admitted.
He went to the house, getting an excited, warm welcome from Mammy. "Oh's, I'd knew you'd be back!" she exclaimed. She told him he'd find Scarlett in the stable. "In the stable?" he laughed, "One week can certainly change a person."
He did find Scarlett in the stable. She was doing what used to be the slaves' work – raking the hay. He stared at her for a while. Her hair was all over the place, sweat was pouring over her face. She looked beautiful – vivacious, and alive with color. "Well, this is certainly a sight I never thought I'd see," he said.
Scarlett dropped the rake, and it landed one her toe. "Ohhhhh!" she cried, grabbing her foot, and Rhett burst out into laughter. Scarlett wanted to be furious, but she was laughing too. "Rhett!! Rhett, oh, I'm so glad you came back. I've…oh, fiddle-dee-dee! I'm working like an animal, aren't I? Oh…" her face was blushing with embarrassment, but she turned to him and looked into his eyes, "You're staying, right? I've been thinking up a million schemes in my head and I'll use them if you leave me again." Rhett laughed, "Is that a threat? To tell you the truth, Scarlett, I don't know…but I do know that this is the first time in my life I've seen you care less about what you've looked like." Scarlett's eyes flashed with anger, but Rhett took her into his arms and laughed, "You look wonderful."
Scarlett patted her hair into place, and wiped the sweat from her brow, "No, no, I look terrible." She laughed. "This week, I don't know, Rhett. Things have changed. I've…I don't know…how would you say it?". "You've grown up, you've learned to appreciate life? Learned to appreciate others?". Scarlett sighed, "Yes, all of that." She paused, "I've…oh, Rhett, I'll be a good wife to you, I will! It'll be more like the old times – when we were always laughing, always having a good time. Oh, Rhett, we can go dancing or ride horses or have children!" All of the sudden she grew tense. Have children? What was she saying? Her figure that she had so much pride in would disappear for sure. Oh, here she was being selfish again. Yes, she'd have children. And, they'd be the happiest children in the world. She looked at Rhett with determination, "Yes, we'd have children."
Rhett smiled, "Well, I'm glad to see you have not changed completely. I'd worry it wasn't you if you did not think about your figure at least for a minute." Scarlett glowered. Oh, how could he read her mind like that? No one else could read her mind so well. Not even Mammy. And, Melanie never could, thank goodness. Nor Ashley…"Ashley!" she suddenly exclaimed. "I've never gone to see Ashley!"
Rhett's face hardened, "Scarlett, just when I've been enjoying…" "No, no, no," Scarlett interrupted, "Rhett, you don't understand. I promised Melanie I'd check in on Ashley and Beau, and here it has been a full week, and I have not kept my promise at all. I have to go see him. Rhett, there's nothing between him and me. You have to believe me! I love you, Rhett, no one else." Rhett sighed. He wanted to believe her, but with her past history, it was hard. "All right, Scarlett. I'll go with you. I want to go see Beau myself."
"Ha! " Scarlett retorted, "You just want to spy on Ashley and I! Well, Mr. Butler, nothing is going to happen. I'm not like you and Belle."
Rhett grabbed her arm harshly. Scarlett's heart sank. She did it again. She spoke words she terribly regretted. Her darn temper! She glanced at him, and was surprise. For although Rhett's grip was hard, his eyes were soft.
He wanted to be furious with Scarlett, but he wasn't. Belle – she was a woman with a good heart, a dear friend – but, all of the sudden he realized that was all she was to him now. Scarlett was the only woman he wanted. Could that have been Scarett's realization after Melanie's death. That he, Rhett, was the only one she wanted?
"All right, my dear. You go to Ashley's alone."
Scarlett felt crushed. Rhett was probably going to go to Belle's now. Why had she said such hurtful words to him?
Rhett lifted her chin, and made her look into his eyes. "Scarlett, I trust you. Now can't you trust me?" Her face broke out into a smile, "Oh, Rhett!" and then, she embraced him with all her strength, and at last, his lips met hers.